And again XANA!
by Antenor1000
Summary: Jeremie returns to the factory to carefully examine all of the supercomputer's files. He discovers a discrepancy within one of the subroutines. Further study, through various scattered data, leads Jeremie to a very disturbing fact-- X.A.N.A. survived.
1. Chapter 1 Are We Strong Enough?

Disclaimer: Code Lyoko and its characters are the property of Moonscoop, France 3, and Canal J. No copyright infringement is intended.

The laser blast hits her, dropping her to her knees. Grabbing her shoulder, Aelita senses that she's alone on Lyoko. A voice booms, "All of your friends are gone."

She cries out, "Jeremie!" But the voice replies, "He cannot save you. He doesn't care about you and he will not fight for you." She watches as the blok takes its final aim at her and fires.

Screaming, she springs up in her bed. Sweat rolling down her face. Fear grips her heart as a feeling comes upon her that this was more than just a dream.

In the morning on campus, Aelita finds Jeremie's table at the university's cafeteria. "Good morning, Aelita. Did you sleep well?" asks Jeremie. She says, "No, but I'll be alright." Jeremie, almost oblivious to her response continues to type on his laptop. Then, looking up at her with a serious expression on his face, says, "I think that it's time that we tell the others why I encouraged them to come to this school. And I sure hope they're ready, 'cause we're going in tonight." "Tonight?" asks Aelita.

"I don't think we have a choice at this point," states Jeremie. "Since we found X.A.N.A.'s replication of the factory near this university, we've diligently worked to eradicate the back-up he hid on its supercomputer. But he set it up as sleeper program and that means we're running out of time. We have less than 10 hours left before his program launches."

"You've been with me in its control room," Jeremie remembers, "as we ran algorithm after algorithm trying to destroy his program. I also attempted to break the internal launch sequences, but it kept locking me out. I've tried everything thing that I know how to do. I can't stop his program from launching, and so we'll have to be ready when it does."

"Are you sure that you'll be able to stop X.A.N.A. after he awakens? " asks Aelita. "Yes," affirms Jeremie, "then I'll have have access to all of his files; he'll be out in the open."

"I'm still worried," says Aelita. "If we can keep him from escaping into the internet, there'll be nothing to worry about," assures Jeremie.

"Jeremie, I had a dream last night," Aelita begins to recount in earnest. "I dreamed that I was on Lyoko and that X.A.N.A. had a new kind of super-blok that could take away 80 life points in a single shot."

"No way, "says Jeremie dismissively, "bloks just aren't that powerful. I think your imagination is working overtime."

"Maybe," responds Aelita. Then she lowers her head and hesitantly asks, "Jeremie, would you... fight for me?"

Jeremie looks at her and states, "What kind of question is that, Aelita? YOU KNOW that I would fight for you."

And in a very quiet voice, she responds, "Do I?"

Just then Odd walks up with his tray, "You look a bit stressed, Einstein. What's up?" Jeremie, now looking a little less worried, says, "I have a lot to tell you, but it'll have to wait until Yumi and Ulrich get here."

Yumi calls over, "We're here. And we've got news for you!" as she makes her way over to the table. Ulrich asks, "May I tell them?" With her face blushing, Yumi nods her approval. Ulrich declares, "I've asked Yumi to marry me!" Yumi adds, "And I said, Yes!" as she shows off her ring. Then Ulrich, in a more somber tone, adds, "You don't want to know how long it took me to save for that." Aelita, Jeremie, and Odd, smile with approval. Odd says, "It was bound to happen, you two were meant for each other."

As the five settle down to breakfast, Jeremie begins to explain his concerns. His friends are gripped in astonishment as they listen. Then Ulrich cuts in, "I thought he was gone for good." "I thought so too," says Jeremie, "but three years ago, I found indications that he made a back-up, and last year I discovered where that back-up was."

"Why didn't the Anti-X.A.N.A. Program work?" asks Ulrich. "Because THAT supercomputer was off-line, so the multi-agent wasn't able to reach it," responds Jeremie. "Besides, even if it could reach it, X.A.N.A. had his program protected by a multitude of security features; some of which I've never seen before."

Odd challenges, "So he's back, and you decided to wait all this time to tell us?" Jeremie reluctantly answers, "I didn't know if you'd be interested in fighting X.A.N.A. again." Yumi slams her fist on the table, saying, "How can we keep on fighting him?! How can we win?! He just keeps coming back again and again! We're just not strong enough!"

Ulrich puts his hand on Yumi's shoulder and says, "Don't worry. We'll beat him. We'll stand against him together... all of us." Jeremie adds, "His power should be limited if we can catch him soon enough. He shouldn't be able to activate more than one tower at this point." With limited assurance comes contemplation. Silence seems to consume those gathered at the table. Soon plans are made and directions are given. Especially for Ulrich and Yumi, this has not been the delightful breakfast that they had hoped for.


	2. Chapter 2 The Trap Is Set

That evening at the factory, X.A.N.A. launches his attack. "He's activated a tower," declares Jeremie. "He's trying to get out." Then with a few taps on his keyboard, Jeremie states, "I've blocked his access to the internet, but it won't hold him for long. Lyoko Warriors, you need to get to that tower and deactivate it fast!"

Moments pass as Aelita and Yumi, and then Odd and Ulrich, are scanned and visualized. But X.A.N.A. is ready. Directions are given to the four, but before they can set out for their target, Jeremie shouts, "Watch out! You've got about two dozen monsters closing in on your position! You're surrounded!"

"X.A.N.A. just wants us to feel welcomed, that's all," Odd says with his usual sarcasm. And firing an arrow at the eye of a mega-tank, he asks, "It's been a long time, hasn't it? Did you miss me?" Then as it explodes, he does a back flip through the air and lands in a crouching position. "Just like old times!"

Jeremie listens intently at the sounds of battle coming through his headset, while flashes of light bombard his screen.

"Everyone get ready, X.A.N.A. is sending you more monsters. And wait, what is this?! X.A.N.A.'s managed to supercharge some of his bloks!" Jeremie announces with urgency, and adds, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Then Ulrich, rapidly deflecting blasts, says, "X.A.N.A. knows that this is his last chance. And it looks like he's gathered all of his forces to this end of the sector." "This is crazy!" adds Odd, as he flips sideways for a shot at Krab. "He's got everything here but the Kolossus and the Sector 5 monsters!" Jeremie responds, "He won't bring up the Kolossus. He doesn't have enough power."

Jeremie is surprised as he checks the data on his screen. "It looks like X.A.N.A. is covering all of the stops, though. He's altered the program so that if Aelita loses all her life points, she won't be able to get back to earth. Hmmmm, that's strange, the same information shows me that if I were on Lyoko that it would be the same for me. If I lost all of my life points, I wouldn't return either," announces Jeremie. Odd replies, "Not to worry; we've got things handled here, Einstein. You don't need to be here, and as for Aelita, she's safe with us."

"Oh no! X.A.N.A. has deactivated some of the safety protocols. Guys, you're going to start to feel everything that hits you!" exclaims Jeremie.

Whirling fans slice through two monsters and return to their owner. "There's an opening!" Shouts Yumi, "Aelita, you've got to run for the tower; it's now or never!" Aelita throws another energy field, turns toward the distant tower and begins to run.

As the battle further intensifies, Jeremie calls out, "Odd, be careful! You're down to 20 life points, and X.A.N.A. is bringing up the super-bloks!"

"What?! This can't be! Eighty life points of damage!" shouts Jeremie as a very deep anxiety begins to overtake him.

Soon after, the scanners open. Within seconds of each other, Ulrich, Yumi, and Odd, had met defeat and were devirtualized. And now they find themselves left with anger and frustration. While on Lyoko, X.A.N.A. again focuses his attention on Aelita.

A blast shoots out and Aelita's right shoulder is struck from behind. She collapses to the ground and turns to look at her attacker. A super-blok! X.A.N.A. had left one to guard the tower! Although she is only about 30 feet away from the tower, the blast has weakened her and she has only 10 life points left.

A voice is heard, "Your father is not here to save you this time. And all of your friends are gone."

Her voice trembles in fear as she cries out, "Jeremie!" To which X.A.N.A. replies, "He cannot save you. He doesn't care about you and he will not fight for you."

Suddenly, Jeremie appears from the elevator and rushes for a scanner. As his scanner closes, the others stand by stunned. And then, sudden horror grips them as they realized that Jeremie wouldn't enter Lyoko unless the circumstances were extremely grave. Without a word, the trio rush for the elevator.

As the super-blok powers up for a final blast, an image begins to virtualize near Aelita. But this goes unnoticed by her because her whole attention is on the super-blok. Then there is a thud to her right and, as the blast shoots out, Aelita sees Jeremie lunge between her and the super-blok. He is hit with the full blast as Aelita spins about for a last dash to the tower.

Another blast is seen on the screen as Yumi, Ulrich, and Odd, exit the elevator. Yumi cries out, "Are we too late?! Is it over?!" Ulrich replies, "It's not too late. It can't be." Odd, moving quickly towards the screen, asks, "Where's Einstein?! I don't see Einstein! And Aelita's gone!" And it sinks into each of them that they have just lost two of their best friends.


	3. Chapter 3 A Final Hope

On the screen, they see a red-glowing tower, guarded by a single cube-shaped monster. Ulrich plops down into the chair, staring at the screen, as Yumi slumps to the floor. "This can't be happening!" shouts Yumi, as she slams her fist on the floor. Odd looks for something to say, but he knows there's nothing to say; nothing at all.

But unknown to them, Aelita has made it into the tower. She reaches the platform, drops to her knees, and for a moment seems to sob. Then clinching her fists, rises to her feet and begins to ascend. She steps onto the upper platform and pauses. Clinching a fist and having a face filled with determination, she thinks, "_You're wrong, X.A.N.A.. Jeremie does care. He fights for me!_" Then her arm seems to strain as she reaches for the control panel. She has deactivated towers before, but never at a time that seemed more crucial than this.

And as Aelita wonders if she has lost Jeremie, her hand is scanned. CODE: LYOKO. "Tower deactivated."

Upon hearing her voice, Odd grabs hold of the back of the chair and, with anxiousness, proclaims, "Aelita!! We still have Aelita!!" But this barely catches Ulrich's attention. He continues to sit in the chair; stunned at what has happened, trying to make sense of it all. Yumi, back on her feet, reaches over and activates the devirtualtion program. Then she looks at Ulrich and, in a faint voice, says, "Maybe there is still... hope."

In a room below, a scanner opens up to reveal a girl with pink hair slumped to the floor with grief and exhaustion. She then feels a pair of hands take her shoulders and begin to raise her up. As Aelita looks up, astonishment takes hold of her whole being -- it's Jeremie!!

After an embrace and a kiss, the two enter the elevator and the doors close.

With their hearts still aching, Odd, Yumi, and Ulrich, turn to look at the elevator. It opens to reveal: Aelita and Jeremie!!

Yumi, visibly shaken, asks, "Jeremie, how are you here? How did you get back?" Her voice straining with every syllable.

"You forget, I'm a programmer. Before going to Lyoko, I typed in a few lines of text, so that the computer would accept a voice command from me. That voice command would immediately devirtualize me and return me back to earth. Once I was hit, I was down to 20 life points. Then, I turned and saw Aelita entering the tower. As soon as I saw her make it in, I called out the voice command," Jeremie confidently declares.

"And what was that voice command?" asks Odd. Jeremie looks over at his girlfriend and smiling says, "Code: Aelita." Aelita smiles back at him with a smile of love and adoration.

"You know that was quite a risk, Einstein," declares Odd. "Yes," acknowledges Jeremie, "but for Aelita, I was willing to take that risk."

"You had us all very worried!" proclaims Yumi. "That's an understatement," adds Ulrich, in a very subdued tone.

"We thought... you were gone and Aelita was gone. We though that," Yumi chokes, "we had lost you both!!"

Sorrowful looks are slowly erased by smiles of joy, as with hugs and expressions of gladness they show how happy they are to have Jeremie and Aelita with them again!!

Moments later, Ulrich finds himself lost in his own thoughts. He thinks of Yumi, and of the times that he saved her, and how much she means to him. Then he walks over to her and takes her by the hand. As they look into each others eyes, her expression begins to change, as it becomes very clear that words are not necessary for her to see what is in his heart.

Jeremie, reaching for a compact disk, announces, "Guys, with the tower deactivated and the internet access blocked, all there is left to do is to run my Remove X.A.N.A. Program. There is no longer any place for him to hide. It's over."

"So, it look like we've won. We've actually won!" says Ulrich. Yumi adds, "It turns out that we were... stronger after all."

"Okay, so now that we're done; how about we get something to eat? I'm starving," says Odd.

The whole gang breaks into laughter.

Together, they leave the factory. They leave behind the supercomputer for the final time. And as they walk into the cool night air, they know, seldom has the world seen truer friends than these.


End file.
